Right Ear Processes Requests Better Than the Left

What the Right Ear Hears

A new Italian study put a twist on the age-old advice about wanting something done right. In three separate tests, researchers found that when making a request, they had better results when the question was posed to the right ear.

In general, the left side of the brain processes requests better and researchers feel it must also process information that comes from the right ear. It seems the left side of the brain is more amenable to granting favors. As a health aficionado, I do find it ironic that the tests involved asking clubbers for cigarettes in dance halls with considerable background noise. The researchers offer a rather more mundane observation to support their findings: most people listen with their right ear when speaking on the telephone. Could it be the majority of folks are right handed? Bottom line: when you want something, make sure to pose your query in the person's right ear, and don't forget to say please.

I'm a lefty but I always prefer the phone in my ear.
I have a job where people mainly "request" me to do things though so maybe that's why! :)

6 years

I'm right handed, but I've always been a "left ear talker" on the phone and I figured it was because I like to have my right hand free to do things while the left hand holds the phone. I feel uncomfortable if I have to use the right ear on the phone.

My mom has Meniere's Disease and she can't hear ANYTHING from her left ear, so we always have to make sure to talk in her "good" ear. Good thing she didn't lose the hearing in the right ear, I suppose.